Chapter 388: 384: The Road Blocked by Heavy Snow_1

The snow outside had stopped, but the accumulation was deep, reaching halfway up the knees.

Yingbao and her father stood at the entrance of the inn, gazing into the distance with sinking hearts.

Maybe they could travel on horseback, but and they were traveling by horse cart.

Once the wooden wheels of the horse cart froze, the whole cart would be ruined.

Yingbao went to the courtyard of the inn once again.

Their own horses were all in the stable, and the innkeeper was feeding them shredded forage from a basket.

Xiao Chengjun’s horses were also crammed in the stable, with a few standing outside, leaving a trail of horse dung and urine.

The innkeeper’s wife was cursing as she shoveled the dung and urine with a spade.

In the kitchen, the innkeeper’s two daughters-in-law were cooking, steam was billowing from a large steamer in which something was being cooked.

Returning to the inn, the not-so-large hall was already crowded, as all the guests had gotten up.

Yingbao and her father returned to their own room, took father and son into the cave dwelling, and served them the food they had prepared the night before.

Jiang Third Master finished washing, then sat down beside the small table to eat.

There were boiled eggs, chive egg dumplings, and fragrant sweet rice ball dumplings, and a hot pot of thick rice porridge.

After finishing his meal with soybean paste and fermented bean curd, Jiang Third Master immediately went out of the dwelling with his daughter and son.

Yingbao also let him take a dozen boiled eggs and some rice balls for Mr. Wu and Wei Zhan, saying they were provisions from the Prefecture City.

The inn also provided food, but it came at an additional cost, and there wouldn’t be that many eggs.

Soon after, Wei Zhan ran over: “Yingbao, the snow outside is too thick, we might be trapped here.”

“Then we can wait a couple of days and leave.” It was only October, the accumulated snow would melt in a few days, but after the snow melted, the roads would be muddier and more difficult to traverse.

Wei Zhan sat on a stool next to her and whispered, “Xiao Chengjun and that Chen Tiantian are also in the inn, Yingbao, be careful.”

Yingbao nodded, “I know.”

She was not afraid of those two at all.

Xiao Chengjun needed her and would not dare to act rashly, but Chen Tiantian and Han Yueniang despised the Jiang family and might resort to some means.

However, they also had their own weaknesses, didn’t they?

Her old man said that Han Yueniang was accompanied by a child of a few years old, two years younger than Chen xubao, about four or five years old, probably her own small son with that old man Pei.

Yingbao considered herself not to be a good person; if others played tricks on her and did evil things, she would surely retaliate in kind.

As they were talking, two people arrived at Yingbao’s door, Chen Tiantian and Xiao Chengjun.

“Yingbao, you finally opened the door.” Chen Tiantian greeted with a radiant smile, “You slept so soundly last night. There were so many people that came to the inn, and you didn’t even come out to see.”

Yingbao was sitting in her chair, giving Chen Tiantian and Xiao Chengjun a cursory glance.

The sixteen-year-old Chen Tiantian had become even more beautiful, and she was much taller, similar to a young woman.

The “imprisoned” word on her forehead was covered by a golden floral hairpin, making her look even more enchanting and voluptuous.

Standing next to Chen Tiantian was Xiao Chengjun who should be about eighteen or nineteen. He was wearing a black, unpatterned brocade robe, broad-shouldered and slim waisted, looking handsome and extraordinary.

The two of them standing together, it must be said, matched extremely well.

However, Yingbao felt sickened by these two people; even listening to them speak was nauseating.

“Whether I come out or not is none of your business.” Yingbao said, “Besides, I’ve seen enough of people with tattooed faces, you’re not an exception.”

Upon hearing this, Chen Tiantian immediately changed her expression and looked at Xiao Chengjun ruefully.

Xiao Chengjun comforted her with a pat, scolding Yingbao, “Jiang Yingbao! Don’t take it too far!”

Wei Zhan stood up, shielding Yingbao, “How is she bullying? Is Yingbao not telling the truth? Xiao Chengjun, you are really accomplished, protecting a woman with tattooed faces.”

Anyone with tattooed faces had committed a crime in the past. Even if they weren’t jailed, they would be despised for a lifetime.

Xiao Chengjun darkened his face and said in a deep voice, “Mind your own business, Wei Zhan. I haven’t asked you why you are involved with the Jiangs yet.”

Weizhan is the nephew of his stepmother, Wang, and has a familial connection with him. Xiao Chengjun gave him a bit of face out of courtesy.

“Mind your own business too,” Wei Zhan retaliated, saying coldly, “Don’t stand in our way; we’re going to eat.”

As he said this, he pushed Xiao Chengjun aside and led Yingbao out.

The innkeeper’s wife and daughter-in-law had already brought up two large barrels of rice porridge to the hall and were shouting at the crowd to serve their meals.

Without thinking, Xiao Chengjun retreated and looked on bitterly as Wei Zhan led Yingbao downstairs.

The hall was bustling as customers flocked to get their large bowls of thin porridge and two large steamed buns, then sat down together to eat.

A large plate of pickled vegetable shreds was placed in the middle of the table, without any other dishes.

The guards that Xiao Chengjun brought with him also ate these, but they brought their own dry rations and jerky to soak in the porridge and eat.

Jiang Cheng ladled out several bowls of porridge, grabbed a few buns, and took them to their shared sleeping quarters to feed Mr. Wu and the others.

After being disturbed by Xiao Chengjun’s party last night, Mr. Wu did not sleep well and was a bit unwell.

“We can’t leave today,” Jiang Sanlang sighed, sitting cross-legged across from Mr. Wu, sipped some thin porridge and left the steamed bun untouched.

Mr. Wu ate two eggs, took a sip of porridge, and said, “Then we’ll stay here a few more days, no rush.”

Jiang Sanlang could only agree.

However, he was worried that Xiao Chengjun would try to sabotage his group.

They had more people and were armed; in the event of a conflict, they would be no match for Xiao Chengjun’s faction.

Moreover, this was just a small market town; even if Xiao Chengjun killed everyone in the inn, no one would dare to stop him.

Yingbao walked in, took out a few packets of medicinal pills from her bag, and distributed them to her father, Mr. Wu, and a few others including her cousin and Hengyin.

Wei Zhan leaned out his head, “What about mine?”

“Here it is.” Yingbao handed him a packet of medicine, “The powder is for stopping bleeding, and the pills can be taken orally. There are pills for treating cold injuries and internal injuries.”

She was afraid that they would be injured if they clashed with Xiao Chengjun, so she took precautions in advance.

Jiang Sanlang looked at his daughter, “Yingbao, you go back later and don’t come out unless necessary.”

“Okay.” Yingbao paused and added, “Father, you guys stay in the large shared room too. Don’t go out. The snow will melt in two days, and the people in the inn will increase. It will be not good if someone seizes our room.”

The people that Xiao Chengjun brought, almost twenty, were all squeezed into one shared room and might try to seize their room.

“He wouldn’t dare!” Wei Zhan bit into a mixed flour bun, “We also have more than a dozen people, who would dare to take our room?”

He patted the dagger hanging on his waist, “We are not to be messed with either.”

Jiang Wu echoed, “Exactly!”

At eleven years old, he was almost as tall as his sister and had been practicing martial arts all year round, which made him look strong and powerful.

As long as nobody used weapons, Jiang Wu could handle two opponents by himself.

But Yingbao didn’t think so.

Although they also had a dozen people, how could they compare with the battle-hardened warriors?

If a conflict were to arise, Yingbao only wanted to apprehend the thief and capture Chen Tiantian first.